RETURNS AND RELEASES

In this week’s blog, we are going to take a short look at three subjects which have revolved the wrestling world this past week. With no more regular weekly blog to give you, then this will be a regular occurrence until the time comes for us to finally say goodbye. So, without wasting any one else’s time, let’s crack on with the first subject.

First up this week, is the issue of a former WWE and WCW star who has announced his return to the squared circle. I am of course talking about Bill Goldberg, who this week announced to a television station that he would once again strap up his boots and return to a wrestling ring. It was a surprise announcement for Goldberg, simply because when he left the industry after a soul destroying run in WWE in 2004, Goldberg made it clear that he was done with wrestling once and for all. And who could have blamed him eleven years ago? Once a noted name in the business, Goldberg had come to WWE in 2003 in order to add to his legend. What he actually got, was a series of meaningless feuds which only devaluated what he’d already done.

Expecting feuds with the likes of The Undertaker, Goldberg was first fed The Rock in the latter’s final long stint with the promotion for nearly ten years. Goldberg vs The Rock culminated in one of the most disappointing main event matches in a decade at Backlash 2003, but it wasn’t all bad news for Goldberg who swiftly moved onto a more promising endeavour with Chris Jericho. His feud with Y2J wasn’t completely awful, but Goldberg refused to treat Jericho with the respect he’d earned in the company and therefore never took him seriously as a rival. And then, we wee presented with Goldberg vs Triple H, the lengthily main event feud over the World Heavyweight Championship which Goldberg had been hoping for.

Oh dear, is the only thing I can really say about the pair’s coming together. Though it may have looked promising on the outside, what the pair delivered in the ring was less than satisfactory. This was due to a number of things. The biggest being that as the feud came around, Triple H was carrying a legitimate groin injury which meant he was limited in the ring. Not many fans cried when the feud ended for the simple fact that it was the pits, but a more promising feud awaited him with Brock Lesnar. It was something which the wrestling world stood up in their droves for.

As two massive behemoths of the industry who were heading for the exit door at the exact same time, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar should have been massive to leave the fans with something to remember. The build up was dross and the bout at WrestleMania XX was unsightly to the point where almost nothing happened. Neither man could be bothered to put on a show on their final night with the company and so phoned in their performances. More than his foe, Goldberg received the measure of flack for this and swore that he was done with the business for good. And why not? He’d made his mark and his money; there was nothing left for Goldberg to do in professional wrestling.

So this latest announcement is somewhat of a shock. Not least because Goldberg ahs promised that he will not return to the WWE. So who does that leave? Does Goldberg really want to give his career to TNA who would struggle to inform him anyway? I know I wouldn’t. Ring of Honor is no place for a legend such as Goldberg which leaves Japan. New Japan Pro Wrestling could do something with Bill if he’s willing to put over some of their new talent before capturing their top prize. But I doubt that will happen. You see, Goldberg has an ego. Just like others in wrestling, he believes he’s too good to lose to younger talent and that they should be doing the job for him. If Goldberg is going to Japan, then he needs to revise his attitude before the audience cast him out.

Could this be a ruse by Goldberg to attract interest by WWE again? He may have promised to never go back, but should they offer him the same contract they offered Brock Lesnar and Sting, then can he really resist eight million dollars per year for a handful of appearances? The answer of course is no. I believe that Goldberg wants one last memorable run on his own terms before he steps down. The only real place he’s going to get that is WWE. To attract interest in him once again, Bill Goldberg hopes to thrive elsewhere before the WWE agents come calling.

The second subject this week is one of Bray Wyatt and those cryptic messages he’s been sending out on Raw since WrestleMania. I doubt I’m alone in the assertion that Wyatt should have defeated The Undertaker at WrestleMania; it would have done wonders for his career. However, it seems that WWE are more bothered about pushing old stars than new ones once again and Bray fell in a decent outing. But the question has risen since then, of whom the cryptic messages are aimed at. Well, if you’re one of the people asking that question then I’m afraid you’re going to be underwhelmed by the answer.

Instead of pitting Bray Wyatt against someone stature enhancing within the company, I can reveal that Bray Wyatt’s messages are for Ryback. The man he will initiate his next feud with after Extreme Rules. So let’s get this straight. After losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania, WWE believe that the way to get Bray Wyatt back into a main position on the card is to have him wage war against Ryback. A man who could be huge in 2015 if the company stopped jobbing him to anyone and everyone. Can the person who booked this step forward and please receive a slap by everyone who reads this blog? You complete and utter retard.

Whilst Bray Wyatt vs Ryback may be a decent outing when it hits the ring, I doubt very much the pair will be able to pull anything meaningful out of the hat. With this, it just affirms that WWE have lost interest in Wyatt and are scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as something to do with him is concerned. Can Bray Wyatt make it big in WWE now? If so, it’s going to take a lot of work which the promotion don’t seem to want to put in.

And finally this week, news has reached your Wrestling God that WWE have released five NXT talents from their roster. Those departed haven’t been taken from the main NXT roster, thankfully but are those in development looking to move up to the roster. This is a dumb move. Especially when there are so many more deserving of the sack on WWE’s main roster who would have saved WWE even more money. I think it’s time WWE got their priorities straight. Releasing brand new untapped talent and keeping the ineffectual old faces just isn’t going to cut it in 2015.

Onwards and upwards…

EXTREME RULES 2015 - THE BEGINNING OF THE END

And so here we are once again, in the first real fallout of WrestleMania WWE present us with their annual hardcore spectacle where every match is meant to have a stipulation tagged to it in order to draw in more viewers in the post-WrestleMania period. In recent years, Extreme Rules has been the jewel in WWE’s crown, always providing value for money before the quality takes a dip and we’re presented with several mediocre events for our money.

This year, we have a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion and new WWE Intercontinental Champion not to mention the title changes which hopefully will take place at this event. I would just like to add however, that Extreme Rules 2015 marks another history note in this blog. If you’ve been reading regularly then you’ll know that little by little, I will be closing this blog over the next two months. This will be the final pay-per view preview as I continue to take this blog off of life support, so enjoy because it’s been a hell of a ride.

I would like to add however, that this isn’t the final blog. We will continue until my obligations have been met and once this blog does close you will be notified with one final farewell blog.

So, for the last time, from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois on April 26th 2015, this is WWE Extreme Rules 2015.

Steel Cage Match

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match

(c) Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton

Like every other wrestling fan who watched WrestleMania 31 on March 29th, I was hoping that Roman Reigns would not leave the event with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship around his waist. You see, despite the fact that I predicted him to win the bout in my preview; I did also say that I wasn’t convinced that either he or Brock Lesnar would walk out champion. And I was right. However, without wanting to be party pooper or spoil sport, we could all see this coming when Brock Lesnar broke a thoroughly unprofessional Roman Reigns on the night in question. I won’t go into Roman Reigns performance again, at least not here. If he’s announced for this event which he will be then we’ll take a look at it in his match preview, this space is reserved for champions.

For the first time in many years, I was on the edge of my seat when Seth Rollins’ music hit and he ran to the ring to cash in the briefcase which he has been carrying around with him for too long. I could feel the company touching the face of a new era or new stars. An era the likes of John Cena and The Undertaker no longer believe in and it was about time as well. I would have understood had WWE kept the title around Brock Lesnar’s waist and indeed Seth Rollins will retain the title until SummerSlam at least when he fight Brock Lesnar in what will surely be an eagerly anticipated rematch. However, until we get there, Randy Orton’s challenge for the gold will be a much welcome distraction.

Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton at WrestleMania 31 was utterly brilliant. One of the matches of the entire night thanks to both men being willing to put on a show. Seth Rollins was keen because he knew what he was booked to do later in the night and Randy Orton, in the knowledge that he would be the number one contender was eager to put on a show. And they didn’t disappoint. If we can get a replay of that with a different outcome at Extreme Rules then it will tear down the house. The ending of their WrestleMania 31 bout was stunning in every sense I’m sure you’ll agree. I don’t know how long WWE can drag this feud out for, but it’s either going to be until SummerSlam or in some shape or form for the rest of the year with Roman Reigns involved in triple threat bouts at Payback and beyond.

As this blog nears its conclusion and the end of its natural life almost four years after it first opened, I am genuinely excited about the future of this company and the future of wrestling on the whole. It’s a wonderful thing to see the future overtake the past and though John Cena is holding that back as much as he can with Rusev, Seth Rollins has to be the man WWE invest in. It was going to be Roman Reigns, but that is at least another year away now as those who predicted his failure are grinning all over their faces. However, Randy Orton will not be the making of Seth Rollins and even though Rollins will not lose a Championship match in this feud it will be August when he really comes into his own.

With Brock Lesnar now gone from the company until SummerSlam, WWE are banking on a Seth Rollins vs Brock Lesnar rematch for the biggest event of the summer. That is what the Royal Rumble was all about, that is what the tangle after WrestleMania was for and it should be the making of Seth Rollins as a star. All WWE have to do is build Rollins well and not make him out to be a coward and then when he goes over Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam he will rocket into the stratosphere. I boldly predict a long and successful reign for Seth Rollins in 2015; in fact I can’t see him losing the title until WrestleMania 32 when he will drop it to Roman Reigns.

With Seth Rollins handpicked as Triple H’s real life pet, the opportunities for him are endless. With the right treatment, Seth Rollins could be the man to overtake C.M Punk’s epic title reign and go further if WWE want to make him a star. It could be so good, if the company can just see their way past making their heels cowards. This isn’t 1992 anymore, we’re not stupid. We know heels can be powerful and unbeatable without running from every challenge like a wimp. Make Seth Rollins the first in many years to be this. Though I can see Vince McMahon objecting to a Seth Rollins long title reign, after all, like Daniel Bryan before him, Rollins is just the next in a long line of wrestlers to come who have fought on the independent circuit and now reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

It’s a new day in WWE and in professional wrestling as a whole. The youth movement is upon us, the time is now and after years of bitching and complaining we should be looking forward to what is to come. Because it’s going to be epic.

Winners Prediction: Seth Rollins

Russian Chain Match

WWE United States Championship Match

(c) John Cena vs Rusev

As far as I’m concerned, I’ve made my feelings on this match clear. For me, it’s a pointless bout which John Cena will inevitably triumph in. Why should I believe anything else when John Cena was so selfish and lazy at WrestleMania? And before you point out that he added another move to his arsenal with the Springboard Stunner, I already know that. But one good move doesn’t make up for putting a career back six months. But then should we have been surprised that John Cena ended Rusev’s winning streak at WrestleMania? This is the man who has never made one career in his time in WWE, but ruined countless.

You see, WWE were onto a really good thing with Rusev. His undefeated streak didn’t have to end for another year and with that behind him as well as his undeniable skill between the ropes, ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ could have gone to the very top. Yes, I agree that he had to lose the United States Championship before he went any further but that could have been remedied by either stripping him of the title after an attack on Cena or someone of note in the company. Rusev didn’t have to be pinned to lose the gold and neither did he need to lose to John Cena, but WWE booked themselves into a corner yet again and this is the result.

When WWE began to build this feud around patriotic glory, there was only way it was going to end for Rusev and that was badly. Vince was never going to allow a foreign star to upset America and especially against their top star. However, had the feud been booked solely over the title then it could have been a completely different outcome. Many won’t care, but this is how Rusev’s career should have been booked from the beginning of the year. And we begin with the Royal Rumble Match. In January, Rusev should have been one of the most dominant figures in the Royal Rumble bout. He shouldn’t have been eliminated by Roman Reigns and to begin his feud with John Cena, ideally the pair would have had a confrontation before the match, Cena should have ran down and eliminated Rusev, brawling to the back with him. That would have spared Rusev any blushes.

During the build up to their feud at Fast Lane, Rusev should once again have been built as a dominant force. Attacking John Cena and making him his bitch for as long as fans wanted to see it. Their bout at Fastlane was perfect so no need to change that. At WrestleMania, Rusev should have once again defeated John Cena to retain the US Championship in convincing fashion before beating him at Extreme Rules to end their feud. Following three defeats, not only would John Cena have had no business battling Rusev but he would have done something to help make a career. And yes, he does have the power backstage to say that he doesn’t think he should win a match. Vince will do anything to keep John Cena happy as he’s proved already.

After WrestleMania, things would have inevitably slowed down for Rusev. With Seth Rollins as the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion, that would be a given. But, after Seth Rollins was done with Randy Orton it would have been a good idea to have Orton battle Rusev and help further his image with losses on pay-per view. To save his own image, Randy Orton would have had to defeat Rusev in tag team matches by pinning his partner and looking strong in brawls but when it really mattered he could have lost and handed Rusev a big boost. And then would come SummerSlam where Rusev would have been inserted into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture. Rusev would have been put into a triple threat match against Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins which would slowly begin a face turn and instead of lose the bout he would have no part to play in the outcome.

Following SummerSlam, Rusev would tangle with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins before winning the Royal Rumble Match and winning the gold at WrestleMania 32. You see how it easy it is? Rusev’s undefeated streak wouldn’t last forever, but it could last until August 2016 when he’s finally defeated by an up and coming star to lose the title. A victory over a man who could seemingly not be defeated would instantly make another star, someone from NXT could have really benefited from this type of booking of Rusev.

But instead, WWE have stripped all the intrigue from one of their most important and talented wrestlers. Now Rusev has lost once, who is going to care about him? Especially when he loses to John Cena again here. By giving Rusev John Cena, the company have all but taken away everything that was special about him and even more ridiculously, they seem happy to sacrifice someone who could be a massive star for someone who no longer needs the spotlight and someone who could do better helping others take a step up the ladder.

Winners Prediction: John Cena

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match

(c) Daniel Bryan vs Bad News Barrett

It was the right result at WrestleMania. Having Daniel Bryan win the WWE Intercontinental Championship in the opening Ladder Match of the show. Let’s be completely honest, who else in that match could have made the title mean something again? Bad News Barrett had his chance and through a string of lousy performances and bad booking he couldn’t make a dent in the effort it will take to get the title back to where it once was. Other competitors such as Luke Harper, Stardust, R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler and the rest had their opportunity but went the same way as Barrett thanks to WWE not investing in them. The only other prospect was Dean Ambrose, but seeing as WWE jobbed him to John Cena the night after WrestleMania, it would have been a quick death for the title.

Daniel Bryan was the only man who had the backing of the booking team and will continue to have. As Intercontinental Champion, Bryan won’t be jobbed to anyone and everyone because fans won’t stand for it. Around his waist, the title has the chance to once again become something stature enhancing. However, WWE will have to resolve to keep the title on Bryan for at least seven months and have him defend the gold against all comers and in gripping matches on pay-per view. Thankfully, this should be the first of many unforgettable title defences on the road to redemption. WWE have taken the insurance policy of putting their smaller and more insignificant titles on bigger stars of late and it’s a welcome strategy. Now both the Intercontinental and United States Championships are around the waist of unshakable talents and former WWE World Heavyweight Champions, surely the only way is up.

The idea of putting both titles around the waist of stars that are seen as main event talents is flawless. WWE are hoping that having the straps defended by higher card talents in better positions other than the pre-shows will give their image a boost. And it should. Because once its time for both men to lose their respective titles, those lower card talents who finally beat Daniel Bryan and John Cena will be given a massive boost the likes of which no other recipient would normally be given. That has to be looked upon as something positive even though many believe that it will damage the lower card wrestlers who usually vie for the gold when they’re forced to lose to both men. That may be true, but the positive far outweighs the negative.

Do I believe that Daniel Bryan and Bad News Barrett can contest a gripping rivalry over the WWE Intercontinental Championship? Part of me wants to scream no, because I don’t believe they will be given ample time in which to build a gripping contest. However, I may be proved wrong and if they are given at least fifteen minutes then the pair could produce something spectacular. You see, the whole point of this exercise shouldn’t be to advance Daniel Bryan. He’s in a position now where almost nothing could harm his image or standing with the fans. The entire point of this bout should be to elevate Bad News Barrett and help get him to the place he was at last year before going down with an injury.

In 2014, Barrett was having excellent matches with mid-card talent and really looked as if he could be a genuine contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before Roman Reigns. He has the looks, the height and the build Vince McMahon prefers his top guys to have. He was making headway with the Intercontinental Championship but then once again, bad luck struck and he was shelved. His gimmick disappeared from television completely and instead of booking him for non-wrestling television appearances once or twice a week in order for the character to capitalize on the momentum he had, WWE allowed him to disappear altogether and didn’t even give him the good grace of a hyped return. It was an opportunity wasted.

Now though, WWE have a chance to make amends for messing up and in a big way. Bad News Barrett can’t defeat Daniel Bryan at Extreme Rules because it would devalue the title, changing hands so often. But if Barrett is allowed to look strong in the bout and in their return war at Payback, then it would do wonders for him. The trick is going to be not allowing Barrett to fade from the title picture and adding to the feud as it goes along with Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler. This could be the best spell of momentum for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in years, let’s hope it turns into something which gives us back that once legendary Championship.

Last Man Standing Match

Roman Reigns vs Big Show

Out of every match announced for Extreme Rules this year, Roman Reigns vs Big Show was maybe the most predictable. Right from the very end of February when WWE began to announce matches for their then upcoming tour of the UK with the pair squaring off every night, it was clear how Roman Reigns’ WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match was going to end and what he’d be preoccupied with after it was over. I mean, this is 2015, it was either that or it meant Vince McMahon was going to hand another main event spotlight to Big Show which no one wanted to see. If this isn’t what it meant, then it would have had promoted a Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins feud for the tour.

In many ways, out of every match to take place at Extreme Rules, this is the one I’m looking forward to the least. Not because Roman Reigns will be trying extra hard to make up for WrestleMania which he still hasn’t been reprimanded for or because it will feature the Big Show in a position he should have relinquished years ago. But because this has been done over and over again to the point that we’re bored with it. Roman Reigns and Big Show have been doing this all over the world and will bring out the exact same routine again at Extreme Rules, with little differences to suit the match type. You see, this is a regular practice with WWE house show events. Wrestlers fight each other every night sticking to the same match layout because no one in the next town can prove otherwise.

When they get to pay-per view, they take that routine to the next level whilst keeping to the basics because only those who attended in person can testify to the fact they’ve seen this before. Those of us who didn’t attend the live events in the UK or around the world will believe it’s a new layout for a new show. However, maybe that’s best for Roman Reigns at the moment. With his shoddy and unprofessional performance at WrestleMania 31 as well as his lack of care or effort in the weeks following the event, Roman Reigns doesn’t seem to be in the frame of mind to come up with anything for himself and neither would I allow him to. I understand that Reigns was disappointed with his big WrestleMania moment and that fans haven’t exactly taken to him thanks in part to the stupid things he’s said, but there’s a right way and wrong way to deal with it and this isn’t going to earn him any brownie points.

History is littered with numerous wrestlers who thought they were going straight to the top and then never made it or had a brief spell in the mid-card when it failed to materialise. But that doesn’t mean to say that he’ll never get there because he will. It just so happens that Roman Reigns isn’t ready yet, but could take a massive step forward at Extreme Rules. I’m unsure at the moment as to whether Reigns will win this match because the extent of WWE’s punishment for him for WrestleMania hasn’t been uncovered yet. But if Roman Reigns loses then it’s clear his punishment has begun. However, Roman Reigns doesn’t a victory at Extreme Rules. He only needs to put on an excellent showing which steals the night. It won’t be easy with Big Show as his opponent, but it’s not impossible. If Alberto Del Rio can do the job then so can Reigns.

Without a doubt, this will be an education for Roman Reigns. Unlike Brock Lesnar, he now has an opponent who may not be a great wrestler but has the years of experience in the business to help give him a leg up. Big Show can help wrestlers look good if he doesn’t himself these days. Maybe that’s the best he can hope for at this point in his career, twenty years after his debut. For Roman Reigns, the path back to where he was at WrestleMania won’t be an easy one. It’s going to be fraught with hurdles and detractors but he’s got the looks and will have the talent by the time he gets there. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to take patience and a willingness to put on great matches every week which is something Roman Reigns doesn’t have the want to do now. But acting as he has been is only going to see him rile the audiences who will have the final say on where his career ends. It’s about time Roman Reigns began to give them what they wanted.

Winners Prediction: Roman Reigns

WWE Divas Championship Match

(c) Nikki Bella vs Naomi

This is it, you know. It has to be. For nearly five months we’ve been forced to endure Nikki Bella as the WWE Divas Champion and it’s been a low spell for the division. Whilst she’s a stunning woman as is her sister, Nikki Bella should never have been allowed to carry the title because she’s weak in the ring and hasn’t been allowed to do anything with it. I’m not saying this to get at Nikki because she has done the best she can including adding to her arsenal. But the fault here lies with WWE. The entire reason for making Nikki Bella Divas Champion was to help expand the Bella brand and make them the John Cena of the Divas division where merchandise was concerned.

Now, that hasn’t happened for various reasons. The main one being that Paige is far more popular with the fans. But this could have been so different. You see, with the whole reason behind Nikki’s reign being to sell more merchandise and add to the Bella brand, WWE have shown a complete lack of care. If you have a specific target in mind then it stands to reason that you do everything you can to help that cause. Instead, WWE have allowed Nikki to tread water and deprived her of a gripping feud. By rights, her feud with Paige and A.J Lee should have set the division on fire. Certainly, both her opponents had enough skill to make up for what she lacked and Nikki’s own skill set which she has added to admirably was enough to pull of several great outings.

But that hasn’t happened. WWE have instead saddled those involved with little time and no story and that has made for some terrible matches on pay-per view. I watch Total Divas and I see how little interest WWE has in its female stars when booking their matches or coming up with ideas for its female talent. This has never been more evident than when the hopeless and seemingly lifeless Mark Carrano is dealing with the women. For those of you who haven’t seen the programme then this guy seems clueless. So much so that I’m beginning to wonder why he even has a job with WWE when there are so many people who could his job with their eyes closed. He doesn’t see WWE’s women as talent, just eye candy and whilst this guy is in charge then the division is going nowhere. He looks as if a goldfish could beat him in an IQ test.

Nikki Bella has been Divas Champion before and it didn’t work out well. Admittedly, she was a worse wrestler back then to what she is now but with that in mind, WWE should have provided her with every assistance they could have done. At the Royal Rumble, The Bella Twins vs Paige and Natalya was dreadful. Nikki Bella vs Paige at Fastlane was horrendous. The Bella Twins vs Paige and A.J Lee at WrestleMania was a marked improvement but this has to be the end. Nikki Bella’s time as Champion is over and now with A.J Lee retired Paige is surely the only woman on the roster who can help mend the damage which has been done.

Once Nikki loses the title, I don’t see what else The Bella Twins can do in WWE. There’s only so many times Nikki can have a rematch before it becomes dull and so maybe its time for The Bella Twins to take another break from the company. Let people miss them before coming back. Either that, or have Nikki turn on Brie yet again and try to steal Daniel Bryan in a storyline. Something has to be done with the twins if they’re to stay around in the company.

As for Naomi, Paige’s replacement is now in prime position to capture the WWE Divas Championship after taking out the Brit on Raw. Though Paige’s replacement isn’t the star she should be, maybe a reign with the gold will change all of that. I know Naomi is still rough around the edges but she can be moulded into the wrestler that WWE need her to be. Plus, why else would the company have booked her in this bout if not to capture the title and then wage a war against Paige once she returns. Though I originally wrote this section to include Page, I endorse WWE’s decision of pushing someone else into the picture instead of those who have occupied it since the turn of the year.

Naomi has so much raw potential. She was the stand out star when she teamed with Cameron but WWE never allowed her to take it any further. This has to be her time. Naomi is on the verge of a killer heel turn which she could play and build on and which WWE could harvest into something unforgettable. Right now, with the Divas Championship around her waist, Naomi could be the best heel diva in the company. And it’s not every day WWE have that on their hands. They should use it to their full advantage whilst it lasts.

Winners Prediction: Naomi

Kiss Me Arse Match

Dolph Ziggler vs Sheamus

Is it me, or does this bout just seem like a convenient way for WWE to bury Dolph Ziggler even more and therefore try to prove to us that we’re cheering for the wrong man? I know that sounds cynical of me, but ever since Sheamus returned to WWE and attacked Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler, I just can’t help but the shake the feeling that Dolph Ziggler is going to be used as an example once again. Worse still, if Dolph Ziggler loses this match which I believe he will, then WWE are basically saying to us that we can cheer for who we want but the company don’t care what we think and will do as they want.

With the return of Sheamus, WWE have already stuck it to its fans by pushing someone who has been injured and will no doubt be again, ahead of a man who has given almost everything in pursuit of a push and still hasn’t received one. There’s no justice in that and judging by the reaction to Sheamus both before and after his return, fans have clearly lost interest in the Irishman and no longer wish to see him in WWE. I know that the thought of a Sheamus match currently turns me off especially when it’s as seemingly predictable as this one. I might be completely wrong and Sheamus may be headed for a loss in order to extend this feud, but judging by how WWE treated Ziggler when he battling Sheamus a few years ago for the World Heavyweight Championship, I expect nothing else.

Since his return to the company, Sheamus has made an impact and finally turned heel which should have happened last year when he was United States Champion. His new found attitude, beard design and hair cut shout heel at the top of their voice but don’t necessarily make him the man who can elevate himself back to the main event. You see, Sheamus has been chained by WWE and forbidden to show what he can do in the ring. Last year as US Champion, Sheamus was ineffective and his best bouts came against talent such as Cesaro with whom he had rousing and brilliant brawls with. Apart from men who could match his skill, Sheamus was stuck and looked bored. Whilst this new heel turn may have given him a new lease of life and it shows, one has to question exactly how far it will take him in 2015.

Instead of a boring Kiss Me Arse Match which has been named for Sheamus’ sake and designed for him to embarrass Ziggler, surely it would have been much better to have Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler injected into the Intercontinental Championship picture in order to keep up the image that more people wanted that title than the company’s top prize. A fatal four way here fought under Ladder Match or Steel Cage rules would have been massive and both men would have been able to add to what Bryan and Barrett bring to the table. I would much rather have seen that than this and I know all you would have done also.

It’s such a shame that WWE are wasting good talent like Sheamus and Ziggler on petty and unimportant matches such as this. There’s so much better they could do elsewhere. Whilst this feud is designed to help propel Sheamus back into the main event picture, I find it hard to see where it’s going to leave Dolph Ziggler. Right now, WWE plan to turn either Dolph Ziggler or Daniel Bryan heel to initiate a summer feud between the pair over the Intercontinental Championship. That’s a decent move on the promotion’s half, something needs to be done with Ziggler before its too late, but how much weight will his challenge carry if he’s forced to job to Sheamus on a weekly basis and on pay-per view?

Who in their right mind is going to believe that Dolph Ziggler is still a challenger if Sheamus runs him down without care? Unlike Roman Reigns, Dolph Ziggler needs big victories because great performances aren’t going to do him any good, anymore. Dolph Ziggler is looking like a man who has the good but can’t win the big one again and that doesn’t lead to anywhere great. WWE cannot allow Dolph Ziggler to fade away just to push a man no one wants to see. They deserve nothing but criticism if that were to happen. And then they call kiss our arse when they’re proved to be wrong.

Winners Prediction: Sheamus

Chicago Street Fight

Dean Ambrose vs Luke Harper

I’m not going to spend too long on these final two bouts, for the sole purpose that this week’s blog is nearly at an end and therefore so I am. The truth is, I have better things to do as do you and I won’t be sorry to see this blog close when it eventually does. However, that isn’t yet. Because Dean Ambrose’s career has been on the slide ever since the turn of the year when he was booked to be eliminated weakly in the Royal Rumble bout. He had such promise in the latter stages of 2014, but since then it’s been all downhill for The Lunatic Fringe.

Undoubtedly, WrestleMania was the best thing Dean Ambrose did so far in 2015 and his powerbomb through the ladder by Luke Harper was stunning even though it cut Ambrose’s head open upon landing. Now, we can see why the move was booked for the bout, all so the pair could build a match for Extreme Rules. The night after WrestleMania, Dean Ambrose was handpicked to lose to John Cena and his participation since then has been worthless. WWE were on a good thing with Dean Ambrose but have thrown it all away for nothing. Right now, Ambrose isn’t in a position to make his way to the main event and is in fact more a mid-card player than he’s ever been. I don’t believe the sings are encouraging for Ambrose and fail to see where he can go from here.

Luke Harper’s career has been almost identical to Dean Ambrose’s. After a string 2014 when he was ejected from The Wyatt Family, Harper was on a roll until the Royal Rumble match when his participation passed without bother. He should have been booked strong in January, but WWE were careless with him and the resultant feud over the Intercontinental Championship did nothing for Harper either. He was barely involved in the exchanges which saw the title stolen weekly. So what did he get out of it? The answer is nothing and it was a complete waste of time.

I don’t quite know what Luke Harper will get out of this match with Dean Ambrose. It may be gripping and the match of the night as far as we know but where’s it all going to lead to? Neither man can profit from this bout or the victory they may attain. Luke Harper would have been much better being booked in a feud with Bray Wyatt than Dean Ambrose. Because right now, Dean Ambrose does not have the image needed to elevate anyone. So all in all, this bout is a complete waste of time, just booked for filler.

Winners Prediction: Dean Ambrose

Extreme Rules Kickoff Match

WWE Tag Team Championship Match

(c) Cesaro and Tyson Kidd vs The New Day

I knew this would happen after The Usos lost the titles to Cesaro and Tyson Kidd. It was inevitable. As where The Usos had a future with the titles, Tyson Kidd and Cesaro were always going to be used as filler material. It happened at WrestleMania and it will happen for as long as the company don’t care about their doubles division or they have a tag team that they actually want to push. I’m afraid that isn’t Cesaro and Kidd who are just biding time in the company until either something excellent comes their way of they’re fired in the culls still to come.

WWE should be ashamed of themselves at what they’ve done to the doubles division, especially after The Usos did so much good. It would seem as if the company have put everything else above their doubles gold and left it to rot. After all, why else would they voluntarily leave teams like The Ascension out of the picture and keep pushing lost causes like The New Day? It doesn’t make sense and WWE need to rectify this before too much damage is done, if it’s not too late already.

I don’t see where the tag titles are going from here. They’re just too damage now. Would WWE be better off scrapping them altogether? Maybe. Who would even know or care that they’re gone? WWE haven’t invested in the gold in a long time and just when it looks like something great may happen with it, nothing occurs and everything goes back to the way it was. WWE have pushed their luck here as far as it will go, now it’s time to put up or shut up.

Winners Prediction: Cesaro and Tyson Kidd

And so there it is. I won’t be completely sad about losing this article or having to stop write it. In truth, it’s been a pain in my backside for months now, having to take time out of my day to put words on paper especially when I feel like I’m just repeating myself. With the end of this blog nigh, this article has been a regular but now its over. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it and don’t forget, we’re not gone yet. We will be around for weeks to come until the end finally dawns.

Onwards and upwards.